The brass pen: why solid brass, and when aluminum is the better buy
Written by the team at Everyman. We make the brass Grafton, so we'll tell you who it suits, who should buy aluminum instead, and where it falls short.
The short answer
Buy a solid brass pen for the weight. Brass is roughly three times as dense as aluminum, so a brass pen sits in your hand and moves across the page with less effort from you. Our Brass Grafton Mini Twist is 100% solid brushed brass, 1.8 oz and 130 mm, twice the weight of our aluminum Grafton. It's $84.
- You like a heavy pen and write by hand every day: the Brass Grafton Mini Twist, $84.
- You want the same shape but light enough for a polo: the aluminum Grafton Mini Twist, 1 oz, $54.
- You write with Pilot G2 ink and won't give it up: the Original Grafton, $54. The brass pen doesn't take a G2.
- You want brass on the wallet too: the PROOF Obsidian, $200, with the Brass Grafton at $84.
If a Grafton ever fails, we fix it or replace it.
Our brass pen
Brass Grafton Mini Twist
$84
"This pen is so well balanced and with the weight, it practically writes on its own. You simply have to glide the pen over paper." Brennan M., Brass Grafton owner
Shop the Brass Grafton Brass or aluminum?Brass and aluminum Graftons, side by side
Every Grafton has the same 11 mm diameter and the same deep machined groove under your fingers. What changes is the metal, the length and how the tip comes out. Here is how the brass pen compares with the aluminum Graftons people weigh it against.
| Pen | Price | Rating | Metal | Weight | Length | Action | Takes a Pilot G2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brass Grafton Mini Twist | $84 | 4.88 (326) | Solid brushed brass | 1.8 oz | 130 mm | Twist | No |
| Grafton Mini Twist | $54 | 4.89 (265) | 6061-T6 aluminum | 1 oz | 130 mm | Twist | No |
| Original Grafton | $54 | 4.83 (924) | 6061-T6 aluminum | 0.9 oz | 145 mm | Click | Yes |
| Super Matte Grafton | $64 | 5.0 (12) | 6061-T6 aluminum, matte finish | 0.9 oz | 145 mm | Click | Yes |
Prices, specs and ratings from each product page on everyman.co. Swipe the table sideways on a phone.
The Brass Grafton Mini Twist: what solid brass gets you
Pick one up and the first thing you notice is the weight. At 1.8 oz it's twice an aluminum Grafton, packed into a 130 mm body. That weight does the work. You stop gripping and pressing, and the pen pulls itself along the line.
It's brass all the way through, brushed rather than polished, with the same deep groove grip as every Grafton and a heavy-duty clip. You twist the barrel to bring the tip out and twist it back to put it away. There's no button to go off in a pocket and no clicking across a conference table.
It ships with our 0.7 mm black Metal Gel. It also takes Fisher Space Pen refills in Medium, Fine or Bold, Parker Ballpoint, Parker Gel and our Metal Gels in 0.5 mm. If you already have a refill you trust, there's a good chance it fits.
It's also the Grafton people give. A brass pen looks like a gift before it's wrapped, and the weight lands the moment someone picks it up. Several owners say they went back and bought more to give away.
"I let customers sign their paperwork with the pen and they try to walk away with it all of the time or they ask if they can have it." Victor C., Brass Grafton owner
"One of the biggest selling points for me is that it accepts the Fisher Space Pen refill, so I can carry one pen that writes reliably anywhere."Greg, Brass Grafton owner
"I also like the discreet way it twists open and closed so I don't annoy other people around me."Josh, Brass Grafton owner
"I had to sign some documents a couple of times and I was so pleased at the weight of the pen and my husband and son are delighted with their pens."Carla C., bought two as gifts
Where it falls short. Weight is the point, and it's also the catch. One owner found it "a bit heavy to clip in polo shirt," and he's right: on a thin knit collar, 1.8 oz pulls. It doesn't take a Pilot G2; the Mini Twist barrel won't hold one. It's twist only, so it's slower to open than a click pen when you're signing in a hurry. And our Metal Gel is water-based, so it doesn't like a year in a dry drawer. A few owners swapped it for a Parker ballpoint, which fits.
Shop the Brass Grafton Mini Twist, $84 See the Holden Card Wallet, $90
When aluminum is the better buy
Same shape, half the weight
Grafton Mini Twist
If you love the twist and the size but want something you'll forget is in your pocket, this is the brass pen's twin in aerospace aluminum. Same 130 mm, same 11 mm grip, same refills, a flush clip that won't snag, and $30 less. It comes in Black, Gunmetal, Crimson and Aegean.
Shop the Grafton Mini Twist, $54For Pilot G2 writers
Original Grafton
Our most reviewed pen. It's longer, it clicks, and the clip is held on with two hex screws. It's the Grafton that takes a Pilot G2, so if that's your ink, start here. If you want a matte finish instead of a shine, the Super Matte Grafton is the same pen for $64.
Shop the Original Grafton, $54 See the Super Matte, $64Want both? Put the Brass Grafton and an Original Grafton in the cart and 15% comes off the pair automatically: $117.30 for a heavy pen for the desk and a light one for the pocket.
Brass pen, good wallet
A pen and a wallet are the two things in your pockets you touch most.
The Holden Card Wallet, $90. Our own front-pocket wallet in 2 mm full-grain leather, six pockets, 2.88 by 4.25 inches and 1.8 oz, the same weight as the pen. With the brass pen it's $174 for both. It has ★ 4.85 from 160 reviews and comes in black, natural and tan with a choice of stitching.
"This wallet will last you a life time and there's no other wallet out there with this kind of design and dimensions. It's the perfect wallet." Davidson, Holden owner
The PROOF Obsidian, $200. If you want brass in both pockets, this is the wallet. We didn't make it. We chose it. PROOF builds the Obsidian on a brushed 260 brass frame wrapped in black full-grain leather. Up to 25 cards sit inside the frame, 20 folded bills ride under the strap on the back, and it blocks RFID. It weighs 93 g.
With the Brass Grafton at $84, the pair is $284. The Obsidian has no reviews on our page yet, so you're trusting PROOF's build and our pick.
Where it falls short. The Holden is a card wallet. If you carry a thick fold of cash, you'll want a PROOF. The Obsidian is the heaviest wallet on this page and the most expensive, and a brass frame is stiffer than leather in a back pocket.
Shop the Holden Card Wallet, $90 See the PROOF Obsidian, $200
Brass on the key ring
If the pen is the start of a brass carry, two small pieces finish it.
Porter Key Multi-Tool 2.0 in Brass, $30. A key-shaped tool with a bottle opener and a 1.2 inch edge for tape and boxes. It's 2.5 inches long, 1 oz, and comes with a stainless cable key ring. ★ 4.81 from 198 reviews.
Cowan Carabiner in All Brass, $35. It clips your keys to a belt loop, and a brass locking wheel keeps the ring at the bottom where it belongs. 2.4 inches and 1 oz. ★ 4.78 from 120 reviews.
Brass or aluminum: how to choose
How heavy do you like a pen? If you've ever said a pen felt cheap because it was light, buy brass. If you carry it all day in a shirt or polo, aluminum.
What ink do you use? Pilot G2 fits only the full-size Graftons: the Original and the Super Matte. Fisher Space Pen and Parker refills fit the brass pen and the Mini Twist.
Click or twist? Click is faster. Twist is quiet and won't open in a pocket. The brass pen is twist only.
Who is it for? For a gift, brass makes the bigger first impression. One owner carries his with his Class A uniform: "I purchased the brass mini twists to wear with my class A uniform at work because of my gold uniform pins I wear." Charles, Brass Grafton owner
Buying more than one? Two Graftons take 15% off automatically. Three take 20% and five take 25% through November 30. The brass pen counts.
No expiry. No registration. No fine print. If your Grafton ever fails, tell us and we'll fix it or replace it, for as long as you own it.
"I called Everyman the next day and a few days later was sent a brand new replacement pen." Mark B., Brass Grafton owner, after his twist mechanism stopped working
Frequently asked questions
Is a solid brass pen too heavy?
It depends on how you carry it. The Brass Grafton Mini Twist is 1.8 oz, twice the weight of the 0.9 oz aluminum Grafton. Owners who like a heavy pen say the weight makes writing easier. If you clip a pen to a polo or a thin shirt, the aluminum Grafton Mini Twist is the same 130 mm shape at 1 oz.
What refills fit the Brass Grafton Mini Twist?
Fisher Space Pen refills in Medium, Fine or Bold, Parker Ballpoint, Parker Gel, and Everyman Metal Gels in 0.5 mm and 0.7 mm. It ships with a 0.7 mm black Metal Gel. The Pilot G2 does not fit.
Should I buy a brass or an aluminum Grafton?
Buy brass if you like a heavy pen and want the twist action. Buy the aluminum Grafton Mini Twist for the same shape at 1 oz, or the Original Grafton if you write with Pilot G2 refills. Two Graftons together take 15% off automatically.
How fast do Everyman orders ship?
Orders placed before 2pm EST ship the same business day. Orders placed after 2pm EST ship the next business day. US orders of $75 or more ship free.
What if my brass Grafton stops working?
No expiry, no registration, no fine print. If a Grafton ever fails, tell us at info@everyman.co and we will fix it or replace it, for as long as you own it.